


creaking

by snapyourjaws (HazelRah)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Chronic Pain, F/M, Fluff, Scoliosis, thats literally all this is about, very specific fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 19:44:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2785448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelRah/pseuds/snapyourjaws
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>tiny (like seriously so short) drabbles about my inquisitor's spine</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have scoliosis and can't resist giving my poor characters all my problems  
> all this is written based on my own pain  
> these are honestly like fragments of thought they really don't make much sense sorry  
> also: I'm posting this via my phone, I'll format it later

He had traced her spine with his fingertips, felt the places where it dipped and bent unnaturally. Not drastically, but just enough to be noticeable, and more than enough to be painful. She didn't complain though, at least not often and never in public.

Some nights she would crawl into his tent, shaking, cursing her body and the prison it had become. She would cry, and be angry that she cried, and he would leave her be until she was finished. Then she would settle next to him and pretend to forget about it, would tuck herself against his side and go to sleep. When morning came she would stretch and grimace, and he could hear the way her back creaked and popped, loud in the stillness of dawn.

Long days of traveling on foot made it worse, and everyone could tell. The longer they walked, the worse she limped, but she never talked about it. Her companions could only exchange troubled glances when she stumbled, always quick to look away as she righted herself. She was too stubborn to let it stop her, even if it slowed her down. She could climb and swim and trek as well as any of them, and was quick to squash any implications that the work was too taxing for her.

When they stopped, she would remain standing, knowing it would be harder to get up if she sat down. She leaned on her staff when standing around, careful to keep any excess pressure off her side. She coped, and she hated it quietly, and they admired her for it. They wouldn't mind if she complained bitterly about it all the time, if it slowed her to a stop multiple times a day, they would still love her the same and help her as they could. But she wouldn't let it stop her, would not tolerate anything that would make her seem smaller or weaker than she already appeared.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set at some point where Velyian learns how to be honest about what's bothering her
> 
> NOTE  
> this includes fairly detailed descriptions of the noises bones make when you crack your neck/back etc. if that squicks you out you may wanna avoid this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, doesn't make much sense, sorry!!  
> NOTE  
> this includes fairly detailed descriptions of the noises bones make when you crack your neck/back etc. if that squicks you out you may wanna avoid this

"My back hurts," announced Velyian, rolling onto her front next to Solas. It was not an uncommon thing to hear her say, and when asked once by Varric why she always answered "how are you?" with it, she had said simply, "Because it's always true."

This evening must have been worse than most, though, because she rarely said it to Solas. He didn't really understand why, maybe because she knew he'd offer some kind of soothing spell that she didn't want. Despite being a mage Velyian resented using magic to aid her spine, stubbornly insisting she could handle it, had been handling it for years before she became proficient in wielding magic at all.

Instead of irritating her with the suggestion of magic, he simply hummed in response. She turned her head to face him, craning her neck a bit to meet his eyes from where he was sitting next to her. "Can you do something for me? I need you to just lean on my back for a second."

"Of course," he said, setting down his book and sitting up on his knees to lean over her. This was not the first time she had requested this, and by now he knew how to do it without crushing her too far into the mattress. Placing his hands a few inches apart in the middle of her back, he leaned forward slowly, hearing her spine crack loudly under his palms. He moved lower, pressing the heels of his hands into the small of her back until it audibly popped again. Finally he spread his hands beneath her shoulder blades, curling his fingers around the curve of her ribs. Pushing down, there was a series of creaks and pops before she sighed heavily under him. Solas sat back as Velyian rolled onto her side, stretching her arms over her head.

"Thank you. That feels way better already." She yawned, reaching out to tug him closer to her. He came willingly, sliding down to lay stretched out next to her as she hooked her chin over his shoulder.

"Why are you the big spoon, hm?" he asked, smiling at the feeling of her pressed so close against him.

"Better like this. I like holding you."


End file.
